First Call: A Steelers WR trade prospect adjusts his contract; AFC North news; odd injury for Bethel Park's Mason Miller

Friday’s “First Call” removes one name from the Steelers wide receiver rumor mill. There’s lots of information from the team’s rivals in the AFC North and one headline from a Penguins rival within the Metropolitan Division.

And we’ve got odd injury news for Bethel Park’s Mason Miller in Oakland.

Bad moment for Miller

Bethel Park’s Mason Miller is going on the 15-day injured list with the Oakland A’s thanks to a fracture in his non-throwing hand.

How the injury occurred is getting a bit of attention.

“Mason came in the training room and was going through his recovery. He was reminded that he had a postgame lift to get in. Out of a little frustration, he just kind of pounded his fist down on a padded training table out of emotion,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay told the Associated Press. “We’ve all been there, done that. Unfortunately, it resulted in a fracture in his non-pitching hand in his left hand where his pinky area is.”

Initially, Miller’s agent had told MLB.com that his client was injured putting his hand down awkwardly on the training table while getting ready to do an exercise.

“Mason’s agent might have thought differently and made a statement of his own. How we do things in this organization is to tell the truth,” Kotsay said before Thursday’s 6-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Miller, a 2024 All-Star, has 15 saves and 70 strikeouts. He has also been the subject of many trade rumors. But if the Waynesburg University product is on the shelf for two weeks, that may diminish interest, or at least some of the potential return from other teams.

Cross off Courtland?

It sounds like Courtland Sutton is off the board as a potential trade candidate for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Denver Broncos wide receiver had been linked to Pittsburgh as a potential target to help bolster the Steelers’ pass-catching ranks because of a contract dispute with his current team. But Sutton apparently worked out his stalemate with the Broncos to at least some short-term satisfaction.

According to ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold, “Sutton has had $1.5 million in incentives added to his base salary for this season — $13 million. Sutton already had $500,000 worth of roster bonuses in place in his deal for the season, and $2 million of his base salary had already been guaranteed because he was on the roster at the end of March.”

Sutton’s goal had long been to have additional money added to the deal. The franchise didn’t want to put any additional cash into the base salary. However, they were willing to bend on the performance bonuses Sutton eventually got.

After this year, Sutton has one more year left on his contract.

Related

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• Steelers' Justin Fields embraces opportunity to take 1st-team reps with Russell Wilson out

Chasing Chase

Ja’Marr Chase did not practice for a second consecutive day as the Cincinnati Bengals have opened training camp, and after Thursday’s session, head coach Zac Taylor didn’t give a reason as to why the wide receiver was sitting out.

“He and I are on the same page,” Taylor said, via video posted by Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Zac Taylor said he’s comfortable with his plan and communication with Ja’Marr Chase but wouldn’t comment specifically on if he expects him to participate in camp at some point and if this is contract related pic.twitter.com/JTs53U0PL4

— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) July 25, 2024

Taylor was asked if Chase’s reason for not practicing was related to contract negotiations, and Taylor defaulted back to, “It’s a plan that Ja’Marr and I have.”

The only information the coach did disclose is that Chase is healthy.

Conway also reports that Chase gave a “no comment” when he was asked if he wasn’t practicing due to finances.

Meanwhile, up I-71…

As for the Cleveland Browns, there have been some injury concerns on defense.

Via ProFootballTalk.com defensive back Greg Newsome had surgery on his hamstring on Wednesday. Newsome was placed on the non-football injury list ahead of the first training camp practice this week. Also, defensive end Dalvin Tomlinson needs a knee scope. So he has been placed on the physically unable to perform list.

The team is hoping both players will be healthy enough to play in the regular-season opener, but likely won’t be available at any point before then.

Also up at PFT, head coach Kevin Stefanski is going to retain his play-calling duties on offense. Some thought he may yield that job to new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. But that won’t be the case.

“Any decision I make for our football team, I take a lot of information in. I try to listen to a lot of people and make decisions. Ultimately what I feel really, really confident in is our offensive staff. I feel really strongly about coach (Ken) Dorsey and the entire offensive staff, so we will continue to be an operation that works together. It’s never been a one-man show,” Stefanski said.

After the 2023 season, Stefanski fired former Pitt QB Alex Van Pelt as the team’s offensive coordinator. He is now the offensive coordinator in New England.

OK with Konecny

One of the Penguins’ Metropolitan Division rivals has locked up a star player. The Philadelphia Flyers have signed Travis Konecny to an eight-year extension worth $70 million.

OFFICIAL: TK IS HERE TO STAY. #LetsGoFlyers https://t.co/InBmVOMNEY

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) July 25, 2024

That means the All-Star forward is tied down in Philly through 2033 at an $8.75 million salary cap hit starting in 2025-26. That makes him the Flyers’ highest-paid player.

“I just wanted to get this over with,” Konecny said of the contract process via the AP. “This is where I wanted to be, so it was pretty easy for me to make the decision I was going to stay here as long as possible.”

The 27-year-old winger from Ontario posted career highs with 33 goals and 68 points last season. This deal avoids the potential of him hitting the free-agent market next season.

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